Cycling exercise machine having adjustable element

ABSTRACT

A cycling exercise machine includes a housing rotatably attached to a shaft of a stationary base and having two channels, a carrier having two levers slidably engaged in the channels of the housing respectively, a foot support attached to the carrier, a latch attached to the housing, and a spring biasing member engaged with the latch for biasing and forcing the latch to engage with either of the levers and to anchor and retain the carrier and the levers and the foot support to the housing at the required or predetermined position and for allowing the users of different statuses or postures or sizes or dimensions or legs to suitably actuate or operate the cycling exercise machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cycling exercise machine, and more particularly to a cycling exercise machine including an adjustable crank device for adjusting the foot pedals or the foot supports or the handle relative to the stationary frame and for allowing the users of different statuses or postures or sizes or dimensions or legs to suitably use or operate the cycling exercise machine.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical cycling exercise machines comprise a stationary base or frame, and a pair of cranks pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured onto the stationary base or frame for being engaged with and stepped or actuated by the users in order to conduct various kinds of peddling or cycling exercises and so as to train the lower muscle groups of the users.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,886 to Kay et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,128 to Ragone, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,491 to Wolfla, II, U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,128 to Ancillotti, U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,599 to Bersonnet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,046 to Maxwell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,092 to Hurst, U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,886 to Seol, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,341 to Lin disclose several of the typical cycling exercise machines each comprising a pair of cranks pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured onto a stationary base or frame and arranged for allowing the users to step or actuate or operate the foot pedals or the foot supports of the typical cycling exercise machines.

However, normally, the cranks include a predetermined length that may not be changed or adjusted, such that the foot pedals or the foot supports that are attached or mounted or secured onto the cranks also may not be changed or adjusted to different positions or locations relative to the cranks and the stationary base or frame, and such that the typical cycling exercise machines may not be suitably and effectively stepped or actuated or operated by the users of different statuses or postures or sizes or dimensions or legs.

In addition, normally, the handle is also solidly or fixedly attached or mounted or secured onto the stationary base or frame, and may not be adjusted relative to the stationary base or frame to the required or predetermined positions or locations, such that the typical cycling exercise machines also may not be suitably and effectively actuated or operated by the users of different statuses or postures or sizes or dimensions.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional cycling exercise machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a cycling exercise machine including an adjustable crank device for adjusting the foot pedals or the foot supports or the handle relative to the stationary frame and for allowing the users of different statuses or postures or sizes or dimensions or legs to suitably use or operate the cycling exercise machine.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a cycling exercise machine comprising a stationary base including a shaft, a crank device including a housing rotatably attached to the shaft and to be rotated relative to the shaft, the housing including two channels formed therein, a carrier including two levers slidably engaged in the channels of the housing respectively and to be moved and adjusted relative to the housing, an element attached to the carrier, a latch attached to the housing, and a spring biasing member engaged with the latch for biasing and forcing the latch to engage with either of the levers and to anchor and retain the carrier and the levers and the foot support to the housing at a required or predetermined position or location and for allowing the users of different statuses or postures or sizes or dimensions or legs to suitably use or operate the cycling exercise machine.

The carrier includes a washer or gasket attached to each of the levers and slidably engaged in the channel of the housing for facilitating the sliding movement of the lever in the channel of the housing.

The first lever includes a plurality of orifices formed therein for selectively engaging with the latch and for anchoring the levers and the carrier to the housing at the required or predetermined position or location.

The element which is attached to the carrier may be selected from a foot support or foot pedal for engaging with the feet of the user, or a handle for engaging with the hands of the user, or the other supporting elements.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cycling exercise machine in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the cycling exercise machine;

FIG. 3 is another partial exploded view of the cycling exercise machine;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view of the cycling exercise machine taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is another partial cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the operation of the cycling exercise machine; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the other arrangement of the exercise machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, a cycling exercise machine 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises a stationary frame or base 10 including a chair or seat 11 for supporting the user thereon, and a crank device 3 for attaching or mounting or securing onto the spindle or shaft 12 (FIG. 2) of the stationary frame or base 10 and for attaching or coupling or supporting or mounting or securing an element 50, such as the foot pedals or foot supports 50 (FIGS. 1, 2), or the handle 60 (FIG. 6) to the crank device 3, and the crank device 3 includes an adjustable construction or structure or mechanism for adjusting the foot pedals or foot supports 50 relative to the stationary base 10 and the shaft 12, and for allowing the users of different statuses or postures or sizes or dimensions or legs to suitably step or actuate or operate the foot pedals or foot supports 50 of the cycling exercise machine 1.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the crank device 3 includes a body or housing 30 pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured to the shaft 12 with joints or journal bearings (not shown) for allowing the housing 30 to be pivoted or rotated relative to the shaft 12 of the stationary base 10. The housing 30 includes one or more (such as two) longitudinal grooves or channels 31, 32 formed therein and opened downwardly (FIGS. 4, 5). The crank device 3 further includes a block or carrier 33, and one or more (such as two) arms or rods or levers 34, 35 attached or mounted or secured to the carrier 33 with fasteners 40, and the levers 34, 35 are slidably received or engaged in the channels 31, 32 of the housing 30 respectively with gaskets 41 or other bearing members for allowing the carrier 33 to be moved or adjusted toward or away from or relative to the housing 30, in which the gaskets 41 are attached or mounted or secured to the levers 34, 35 of the carrier 33 and slidably received or engaged in the channels 31, 32 of the housing 30 respectively for facilitating the movement of the levers 34, 35 of the carrier 33 in the channels 31, 32 of the housing 30.

The foot pedals or foot supports 50 are pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured to the carriers 33 with joints or journal bearings (not shown) for allowing the foot pedals or foot supports 50 to be pivoted or rotated relative to the carriers 33 and to be stepped or actuated or operated by the users in order to conduct various kinds of peddling or cycling exercises and so as to train the lower muscle groups of the users. One of the levers 35 may include one or more (such as three) orifices 36 formed therein for adjusting purposes. A latch 37 is slidably attached or mounted or secured to the housing 30, and a spring biasing member 38 is attached or mounted onto the latch 37 and engaged between the latch 37 and the housing 30 for biasing or forcing the latch 37 to engage with either of the orifices 36 of the lever 35 (FIGS. 4, 5).

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the levers 34, 35 may be slidably received or engaged in the channels 31, 32 of the housing 30 respectively and may be moved or adjusted toward or away from or relative to the housing 30 to the required or predetermined positions or locations relative to the housing 30, and the latch 37 may then be released, and the spring biasing member 38 may bias or force the latch 37 to engage with either of the orifices 36 of the lever 35 and to anchor or secure or retain the carriers 33 and the levers 34, 35 to the housing 30 at the required or predetermined positions or locations, and thus for allowing the foot pedals or foot supports 50 to be moved or adjusted toward or away from or relative to the shaft 12 and the housing 30 to the required or predetermined positions or locations.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the housing 30 of the crank device 3 may also be attached or mounted or secured to the other positions or locations of the stationary base 100 of the other exercise machines or mechanisms or devices, and may also include a carrier 33 having a pair of levers 34, 35 slidably received or engaged into the housing 30 for attaching or mounting or securing or coupling or supporting the other parts or elements 60, such as the handle 60 or the like, and arranged for allowing the handle 60 to be moved or adjusted toward or away from or relative to the housing 30 and the stationary base 100 to the required or predetermined positions or locations.

Accordingly, the cycling exercise machine in accordance with the present invention includes an adjustable crank device for adjusting the foot pedals or the foot supports or the handle relative to the stationary frame and for allowing the users of different statuses or postures or sizes or dimensions or legs to suitably use or operate the cycling exercise machine.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A cycling exercise machine comprising: a stationary base including a shaft, a crank device including a housing rotatably attached to said shaft and to be rotated relative to said shaft, said housing including two channels formed therein, a carrier including a first lever and a second lever slidably engaged in said channels of said housing respectively and to be moved and adjusted relative to said housing, an element attached to said carrier, a latch attached to said housing, and a spring biasing member engaged with said latch for biasing and forcing said latch to engage with said first lever and to anchor and retain said carrier and said levers and said foot support to said housing at a required position.
 2. The cycling exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier includes a gasket attached to each of said levers and slidably engaged in said channel of said housing for facilitating a movement of said lever in said channel of said housing.
 3. The cycling exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first lever includes a plurality of orifices formed therein for selectively engaging with said latch and for anchoring said levers and said carrier to said housing at the required position.
 4. The cycling exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said element is selected from a foot support.
 5. The cycling exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said element is selected from a handle. 